Tile-ditching machine.



E. A. ANDERSON.

TILE DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0M. 1, 1908.

E. A. ANDERSON.

TILE DITGHING MAGHINE. Y APPLIOATION FILED 00T.1, 1908. v 91 1,564. Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

QM u b m e 1 3w e c QN m w n T @N K we em .N

E. A. ANDERSON.

TILE DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 001. 1, 1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

\o m 40/ r/vzsszas W EMIL A. ANDERSON, OF SWEA CITY, IOWA.

'IILE-DITGHING MACHINE.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1, 1908. Serial No. 455,698.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL A. ANDERSON, of Swea City, 'Kossuth county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tile-Ditching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ditching machines of the type wherein the ditch is dug and the tile laid as the machine moves along.

The object, of my invention is to rovide an im roved means for excavating t e mateial from the ditch and delivering it at the s1 e.

A further object is to provide means for preventin the walls of the ditch from caving in after tlie passage of the excavating belt and where there is too much water in the ditch to permit immediate laying'of the tile.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detail descri tion.

The invention consists genera ly in various constructions and combinations all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1, is a plan view of an excavating machine embodying my invention, Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, Fig. 3, is a rear view, Fig. 4, is a detail view showing the manner of delivering the excavated material to the side delivery carrier, Fig. 5, is a transverse section of a ditch showin the sloping sides. Fig. 6, is a detail view illustrating the construction of the wheel whereon the excavating belt is sup orted. Fig'. 7, is a detail view of a section 0 the excavator belt, Fig. 8, is a similar view illustrating a modified construction.

In the drawing, 2' represents a frame supporting rails 3 whereon the traction belts 4 are mounted. These traction belts are already in use, and I make no claim to the same in this application. 5 is a drive shaft geared to the engine 6 and extending out on each side beyond the traction frame and having drive belts 7 through which the traction belts are operated. Clutches 8 are p:ovided by means of which either one of the belts may be rendered operative or inoperative as desired. Upon the frame 2, standards 9 and 10 are mounted in pairs, those of the same pair being connected-by cross bars 11 and 12. Screws 13 and 14 are mounted in said cross bars and support rails 15, the

links in the rear of the arche screws 14. having swiveled connections'16 with said rails to permit vertical adjustment of the excavator belt frame. A cross bar 17 connects the forward ends of the rails 15, holds them in parallel relation with one another, and prevents their backward movement when subjected to strain, said bar engaging at such time, the upright standards 9.

In the rear of the traction belts on each rail 15, I provide a de ending hanger 18 having bearings for the ub 19 of an excavator wheel 20, said wheel being adapted to rise and fall with the rails 15, and accommodate itself to the depthof the ditch that is being dug. At the rear end of the rails 15, is a shaft 21 driven at each end by belts 22 which are driven from a shaft 23 on the forward end of said rails, said shaft 23 having a driving connection 24 with the shaft 5. The shaft 21 has driving s rockets 25 for belts 26 which pass around t e excavator wheel 20 hearing on its peri hery and are held in place thereon by angle ar rails 27. belts, a series of yokes 28 are mounted each having a part in the form of an arch extending across the periphery of the excavator wheel and arms 29 extending rearwardly and having slots 30 to receive the ivot 111s of allow the yokes to accommodate themselves to'the com aratively small diameters of the drive sproc ets 25. The arched portions 28 are provided with a centrally arranged excavator blade 31 and smaller side blades or scoops 32. These blades are adapted to dig into the soil and as the belt follows the periphery of the excavator wheel, the material portions to Upon these will be deposited upon the surface of the wheel between the guide rails-27. On the down side of this wheel, I rovide a scraper 33 pivoted at '34 and held in yielding engagement with the surface of the wheel by a spring 35. A side-delivery carrier 36 is supported by hangers 37 and is adapted to receive the material scraped from thewheel by the blade 33, and deliver it at the side of themachine. As the excavator wheel revolves, the scraper sliding thereon, will keep the surface clean and as fast as the material is lifted out of the ditch by the excavator blades or shovels and de osited on the wheel it will be removed by t 10 scraper and discharged at the side of the machine.

In the rear of the drive sprockets 25, I prorails 15 and having a lower end that is ad apted to slide on, the bottom of the ditch in the rear of the excavator wheel. This plate is in the form ofa trough and the excavator shovels will slide down therein and be guided thereb to the bottom of the ditch. Upon this p ate, or trough, I provide u wardly extending'wings 39 of thin materia having forward cutting edges and arms 40 at their upper ends that are adjustable in holes 41 in a bar 42, which extends transversely of the machine. These wings are adapted to bear on the side walls of the ditch and are adjusted toward'or from one another to obtain the desired slopeof the ditch walls, the edges of the wings cutting the material off the'sides of the ditch and directing it into'the trough 38 to be carried forward and delivered to the excavator wheel b the shovel -blades 31 and. 32. I am thus a le by the adjustment of these wings to regulate the curvature of the ditch walls according to the character of the soil that is being excavated. Where the soil has a tendency to cave and fill up the ditch, Imay adjust these win s a greater distance apart so that there be more slope to the walls and less tendency for the material to slide and fill up the'ditch. In a damp heavy soil, the wings may be adjusted nearer to ether. 4 p r have illustrated a ditch in Fig. 5, wherein an incline is shown extending to a oint midway between the top and bottom oi'the ditch. A. slope of this kind is employed where the machlne is operatin in the water and where the tilecannot be aid until the water. has

been drained ofi. In such soil the banks-if cut strai ht up and down as the machine is 1 moved a ong, would cave in behind the machine and destroy the ditch, as fast as it was dug. By providin means for sloping the am ableto successfully under water and drain ofl the water and lay the tile without danger of the banks caving in. This device for sloping the side walls of the ditch, I thereforeregard as an important feature of my invention. a

In the rear of the trough 38, I provide curved bars 43 whereon a series of tile 44 are laid and allowed to slide down into the bottom of the ditch as the machine moves alon In Fig. 8 ,I have illustrated a slightly modi- .fied construction to ada t the machine for wheel arranged to revolve in a vertical plane,

an excavator belt carried by said wheel and having a series of excavator blades or shovels, said blades being adapted to discharge the excavated material upon the periphery of said wheel and means for gathering said material from said wheel.

2. In a ditching machine, an excavator wheel arrangedto revolve in a vertical plane,

Y an excavator belt carried by said wheel and provided with a series of excavator blades or shovels which are adapted to gather up the excavated material and deposit it upon the periphery of said wheel and a scraper blade arranged to contact with the periphery of said wheel and guide the material therefrom, substantially as described.

3. In an excavating machine, an excavating wheel arranged to revolve in a vertical 7 lane, an excavator belt having a series of hlades or shovels mounted thereon, said shovels being adapted to .gather up the material and depos1t it u on the perlphery of said wheel, ascra er hlade arranged to contact with the su ace of said wheel and scrape the material therefrom and a side delivery carrier arranged to receive the material from said scraper blade.

4. In a ditching machine, the combination witha frame, of avwheel supported thereon, guides mounted on the eriphery of said wheel onv each side of t e center thereof, belts arranged to engage said guides, a series of shovels or blades carried by said belts and extending across the peri hery of said wheel from one belt to the other, said shovels being adapted to gather up the material and depos1t it upon said wheel and means for gathe ring up the material from said wheel.

5. In .a ditching machine, the combination with a frame, and means for adjustin it vertically, of an excavator wheel carrie by said frame, an excavator belt having a series. of shovels arranged to. deliver the material upon said wheel and means for scraping material off the-periphery of said wheel.

6. Ina-ditching machine, the combination with an excavator wheel and belt, of a trough arranged at an incline in the rear of said wheel and adapted to receive said belt and wings mounted on said trough and ca able of adjustment toward or from each ot er, for the urpose s ecified.

7. In a ditc ng. mac e, the'combination with a frame, of an excavator wheel and belt,- a trough hinged at its upper end in the rear of said wheel and inchned forwardly.

tion with a troug the side walls of the ditch and slopin the same to the desired angle, substantia y as described.

9. In a ditching machine, the combination with a frame, and means for excavating the material from the ditch and wings having forward cutting edges provided in the rearof said excavating means and adapted to slope the side walls of the ditch, to revent them from caving in, substantial y as described. V

10. In a ditchin machine, the combinaof an excavator belt operating. therein, said trough being arranged at an incline and extendin into the ditch and wings provided on eac said trou h and adapted to enga e the side walls of t e ditch and cut away t e same to the desired slope, and the material being directed by said wings into said trough,

substantially as described.

11. In a ditching machine, the combination with an excavator belt having a series of shovels, of a trough arranged to receive said belt, sheet metal wings mounted on said trough and capable of adjustment side of each comprising an arched- 12. In a ditching machine, an excavator belt, comprising s rocket chains, yokes ivoted thereon an consisting of an arc ed portion and rearwardly extending arm portions, said arm portions having longitudinal slots to receive the pivots, said links and excavator shovels mounted on said arched portions substantially as described. 13. In an excavator belt, a series of yokes, ortion and rearwardly extending arms aving slots therein, shovels mounted on said. arched ortions and guards projecting rearwardly rom said arched portions for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of September, 1908.

A. ANDERSON. 

